I always say that Karate is much more than punching and kicking. In this blog, you’ll see it really does have the ability to change lives, but don’t just take my word for it, Lady X’s mum will tell you.
Once a week I have the pleasure of teaching Karate to a fantastic group of people at Enable Sheffield. I’ve been doing this since March and I have to say it’s one of my favourite classes. I have already written a blog called “Karate for the disabled – a personal journey” so I won’t go any deeper into that side of things, however last week I had a surprise visit from Lady X’s mum and what she had to say blew my socks off. Lady X (real name not used for safeguarding reasons) is wheelchair-bound and when I first met her she could barely move. The only movement she had was in her neck and she was able to lift one arm slightly off of her leg.
Over the months I’ve seen massive changes in many of the Enable member’s physical movements and mental confidence, however, Lady X’s range of motion has seen a massive change. So much so that her mum made a special visit to come and see me and let me know how thrilled she was with the change she has seen in her daughter. I was told how her daughter had been to many physiotherapists over the years and how they had simply given up on her. Lady X wasn’t able or willing to respond to treatment. I was both amazed and humbled by this story as Lady X is now able to move both arms, one above her head and the other to head height. She is also able to slightly move both legs (enough to give me a little kick if she feels that way inclined). Just look at the picture of Lady X with her arm around her mum’s shoulders, its absolutely amazing for both of them.
As fantastic as the above story is, I’m in no way saying that Karate is better than Physiotherapy, but the point I like to take from this is Lady X loves her weekly Karate classes that much that she puts in the extra effort she wasn’t able or willing to put into her physio sessions.
The power of Karate, you get out of it as much as you are able and willing to put in!
Thanks for reading
David Shaw – Sheffield Karate Club